Turbulence modulation in homogeneous dilute particle-laden flows

Abstract

Continuous-phase properties were studied for homogeneous dilute particle-laden flows caused by nearly monodisperse glass particles falling in a stagnant water bath. Test conditions included 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mm diameter particles (yielding particle Reynolds numbers based on terminal velocities of 38, 156 and 545) with particle volume fractions less than 0.01%. Measurements included mean and fluctuating velocities, as well as temporal spectra and spatial correlations of velocity fluctuations in the streamwise and cross-stream directions, using a two-point phase-discriminating laser velocimeter. Flow properties were also analysed using a stochastic method involving linear superposition of randomly-arriving particle velocity fields.For present test conditions, liquid velocity fluctuations varied solely as a function of the rate of dissipation of particle energy in the liquid. The flows were highly anisotropic with streamwise velocity fluctuations being roughly twice cross-stream velocity fluctuations. Correlation coefficients and temporal spectra were independent of both particle size and the rate of dissipation of particle energy in the liquid. The temporal spectra indicated a large range of frequencies even though particle Reynolds numbers were relatively low, since both mean and fluctuating velocities in the particle wakes contributed to the spectra because particle arrivals were random. The theory predicted many of the features of the flows reasonably well but additional information concerning the mean and turbulent structure of the wakes of freely moving particles having moderate Reynolds numbers in turbulent environments is needed to address deficiencies in predictions of integral scales and streamwise spatial correlations.